Abraham Lincoln

Art Historical Context

This 1860 lithographic print of *Abraham Lincoln*, produced by the renowned Currier & Ives Lithography, captures the future president on the cusp of his historic election. Founded in 1857, Currier & Ives specialized in affordable, hand-colored lithographs that brought art to everyday Americans, depicting everything from landscapes to current events. This portrait, featuring Lincoln in formal drape, exemplifies their mastery of the medium, where artists drew directly on stone for crisp lines and vibrant coloring added by hand, making images both accessible and collectible. Created in the pivotal year of Lincoln's presidential campaign, the print reflects his diverse Illinois roots—tagged as merchant, boat builder, lawyer, soldier, postmaster, surveyor, and emerging leader. It played a key role in disseminating his likeness nationwide, fueling public fascination during a divided era leading to the Civil War. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's National Portrait Gallery, it underscores lithography's cultural power in shaping American identity. Today, this work reminds us how prints democratized portraiture, turning political figures into household icons and immortalizing Lincoln's self-made journey from frontier surveyor to the 16th U.S. President.